Magnetic device mounts are generally known. However, such known device mounts rely on mechanical means to assist with positioning when required, such as mechanical detents and motion stops. These mechanical systems have several drawbacks including limited accuracy and clumsiness, along with specific alignment requirements to enable attachment.
In addition, there are currently no known devices designed for supplementary intermediary attachment of devices to a tripod or other similar mounting system. While some devices designed for attachment to a tripod, bipod, or monopod can provide additional features in reference to the mounted device, these existing devices have various drawbacks. These drawbacks include, for example, the manner by which the intermediary attachment devices are mounted, as there is a wide range of device dimensions and no simple way to reliably attach to a broad range of devices. Instead, such systems attach to only a few devices within a narrow range of dimensional and configurational parameters.
As portable consumer electronics have become necessary everyday items, problems have emerged regarding how to safely hold and charge these devices. Various solutions exist for holding smartphones, tablets, and other devices for protection, transportation, and access in a range of situations.
Many device owners purchase cases for their devices to help protect the device from damage, allow for ease of handling, or to enable additional features (for example, a phone case that has a wallet capability). These device cases typically act as a basic shield against dropping or other mishaps, and have pre-positioned holes to allow for interaction with various ports provided on the device—for example, the data port, camera, buttons such as volume control and power, or the headphone jack. These holes offer a simple cut-away or pre-positioned hole for ease of access by the user to allow direct interaction with ports in the device itself.
However, such a device case has various disadvantages. For example, many owners have dropped their devices in a liquid at some point. By having available unprotected ports, liquid is allowed to enter into the device, ruining the device. Some cases have attempted to solve this problem, but many use a simple flip valve, which relies on the use of a dynamic seal and is not capable of sealing the port while the port is in use. These dynamic sealing mechanisms are also subject to damage or malfunction. In addition, if a consumer does not like the position of the port in the device, known device covers do not allow for options for port re-positioning or alternative peripheral components. In addition, in many situations the hole provided to access the device port is not sufficiently sized to allow integration with some cord ends.
These example cases frequently allow for charging by way of a manufacturer's allowed charging mechanism. For example, many devices charge via USB and USB-type data ports. The apertures provided within the known cases allow for charging via the manufacturer-provided port using manufacturer-provided charging accessories. Many devices have charging mechanisms that are unique or proprietary to the device model or manufacturer. Therefore, in households with multiple device types, some chargers and devices are not compatible across multiple devices.
Some portable electronic devices now provide for wireless charging. From a consumer perspective, wireless charging allows for charging a wireless-charging-enabled device by placing the device on a wireless-charging mat, base, or surface. Wireless charging uses the known phenomenon that power can be transferred between two objects between two coils utilizing an alternating electromagnetic field (e.g., the “Tesla Coil”). Known wireless-charging devices include an inductor which transmits a signal using a primary coil to a receiving coil embedded in the electronic device to receive the power-transmission signal. Wireless charging may have various disadvantages, including requiring integration directly into the device, lower power transfer efficiency, heat build up, slower rate of power transmission, and alignment particularities. Alignment particularities arise when the device is not placed in specific alignment with the charging coils provided within the charging base, mat, or surface. In addition, the device and charging base, mat, or surface may take time to recognize each other. That is, a period of time may need to lapse after establishing physical contact between the device and base, mat, or surface before charging begins. It may be only after this period of time that a consumer may realize, typically via a visual indication there are alignment problems between the device and base, mat, and surface. Slight misalignment may still allow power transfer to occur albeit at a slower and less efficient rate with additional heat generation.
A smaller number of device cases allow for integration with wireless charging. Known device cases typically do not expand the functionality of the device they house; most times the device holder is a passive recipient serving only to act as a protective layer and wireless charging receiver.
Some device cases allow for limited permeability of liquids into the case for the purpose of protecting the electronic device. Such known device cases have a number of disadvantages, including requiring additional flaps or case pieces in order to cover apertures provided on the device. In addition, the protective features of the cases may reduce the sound quality perceived or transmitted by the user of the protected device.
Consumers may likewise wish for holders or mounts for their devices, and many exist. For example, consumers may wish for a device holder for driving, reading, or other uses where holding the device directly is not safe, desirable, ergonomic, or feasible, but consumers still wish to have access to the device. Current device mounts may wobble, lose orientation, lose connectivity, and thereby frustrate the purpose of use, or otherwise be difficult to repeatedly place and remove the device from its location.